Omaha daily bee., 1887-01-14
NEW DEVICES FOR DEFENSE.
Large 0utlays For FortifCations of Our
Harbors Deprecated By an Expert.
AN ENGLISH AuTHoRlTY's PLAN.
A disappearing Gun system" Which
is Destined to Work Revolu-
ton in the Science Of Defen-
siye Warfare.
United states Eortifications.

NEW YORK, Jan. Especial Telegram to
the BEE. "A London special to the Tribune
says: The Times of Monday published an
article on the reports of the United States
board of fortilcations in which. while COM
mending the thoroughness of the inyestiga-
tons, the writer disapproves the recon-
mendations of the board on the ground of
the cost OF the proposed Notifications. over
E2I,0O0,000 is out of all proportions to
the defensive requirements of the United
States says the writer. For one fifth the
sum England could raise her coast defenses
the world over to standard efficiency, which
would probably satisfy the most exactng
theorists Your correspondent showed the
article to Sir Andrew Clarke. formerly in
spector general of Notifications, and one Of
the highest authorities on coast defenses in
England. Il entirely agree with the
writer, whom | recognize said Sir Andrew.
Such costly Notifications belong to the old
school. l would do away with them alto
gether 1t is an open secret that Italy regrets
having expended so much money on fortiii-
cations. Germany is simply waiting to see
what England does
"'But would not the proposed Notifications
render the ports so defended practically Sc
cure against any attack by sea, asked the
CORRESPONDENT.
"'Probably; but by different system they
could be defended much more efficiently and
at infinitely less expense. My plan does away
with all fortiliCations. Instead Of allie :ed
invulnerablity, my principle is invsiblity
of detenses. When you erect enormous
Notifications YOU offer target for the
enemy's shot. Let your turrets and cupalos
be ever so thick, heavy shot is likely to play
the mischief with their mechanism With
your distinguished countryman, Lieutenant
Maxim, | have worked out what |
call disappearing gun SYSTEM" which can
be applied to the heaviest guns made. This
renders tortiiications unnecessary. The gun
occup es hole in the ground When in
action it is raised by sort of hydraulic ele-
vatOr and after firing sinks into the pit
again to be reloaded. Thus it is exposed for
only few seconds. When in the pit it can
only be hit by vertlcle or plunging fire, and
the likelihood of such shots striking their
mark is Infinitely small. Covered ways shell
ter the men who load the gun, SO that the
enemy has practically nothing to aim at. A
gun operated IN this fashion commands a
much wider area than when mounted in fort.
BY means of electricity the gun can be raised,
lowered, trained and discharged by one man
i'll a position of safety a hundred Yards or
even mile away. This has actually been
accomplished. We are at work on n plan
whereby machinery for loading a gun can
cesSful, the gun can be wholly worked from
safe distance. When you can dispense
with Notifications you have more money for
heavy guns, submarine mines and torpedoes.
The United States derives great advantage
from her distance from Europe, because the
difficulty of using first class ironcladS SO far
from their bases is very great"